November Giveaway!

It's time for a November Giveaway! One of the highlights of 2009 for me was partnering with a ministry in Asia to support women whose lives have been changed by war and the sinful effects of cultural traditions. The sweet and generous women of my church shared in the journey with me, and our hearts became tied to those of "Heart House." I am so thankful for this shining spot in my 2009.

In a time when many in the US have lost jobs and felt the pinch financially, we challenged the women of our church to give one dollar at the beginning of each month for 8 months, culminating in a gift we presented to one of our medical partners at our missions conference. It may've been hard to give $50 or $100, but we could all give $1.

Not only did God supply thousands of dollars beyond our expectations, but He used the months to attach our hearts to the women of Heart House and to nurture gratitude in our own lives. Many of the women who work at Heart House are there because they have been ostracized by their families, outcast due to physical disabilities, abandoned by their husbands, or turned out due to spiritual conversion. Through the months, Heart House became very personal to us, with individual names and faces, with children's names, with hopes and dreams, and obstacles that have been overcome.

Though the project has officially "passed," God continues to weave our lives with theirs, and many of the bonds that began have continued. I have a beautiful giveaway to offer this month, and it was made by the hands of the women of Heart House. It is a 54" embroidered table runner.

The embroidery is an art, and I find it hard to tell the top from the bottom! It doesn't resemble my attempts at cross-stitch or embroidery ... no knots or tangles or strings or "wads". The work is made more beautiful, knowing that the hands that crafted it did so with gratitude for the chance to work, to learn a trade, to support her family, to be accepted, and in many cases, to come to know Jesus through what she's learned in the community.

To be entered in this precious November giveaway in time to use it to decorate for Christmas, just leave a comment on any post beginning TODAY through the end of November. I will love reading your thoughts and comments and will mix them up to find a winner using random.org.

Let the giveaway begin!